As we celebrate Christ, His death and resurrection, one of the most painful parts of the story is the Garden of Gethsemane. For it was there when the weight of all our Savior was about to endure overcame Jesus. Such was His anguish, that His soul was overwhelmed to the point of death. And falling upon His face, three times Jesus prayed that if possible, God would remove the cup from which He was to drink.
Located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, (which literally means “oil press”) consisted of a small grove of olive trees. A fitting place since it was there that Jesus was spiritually pressed. You know it’s often said that our true nature is revealed during times of pressing. And how we face trials and suffering shows the depth of our relationship with God. At any time Jesus could have walked away. He could have returned to His glorious throne in heaven and never once suffered for our sins. But instead He choose God’s will over His own, and obedience regardless of the consequences. And when God didn’t remove His cup of suffering, Jesus let nothing stand between Him and that cup.
There will be times when we will find ourselves face down in our own Garden of Gethsemane. When God permits suffering and we are pressed spiritually to the point of agony. It’s then when we need to follow the example of our Lord. First, in fervent prayer we are to cry out to our Abba, Father. Emptying before Him our hearts filled with fear and sorrow. And when His answer is for us to endure, we are to humbly submit before God saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Drinking the cup of suffering is never easy. But we need to trust that God’s plans are always best, and used for both our benefit and His glory. Most of all remembering that His grace is everything we need to carry us through. (2 Cor. 12:9)
Nowhere was Jesus’ humanity on greater display that in that garden. And because, to the glory of the Father, He drank the cup filled with our sins, He now stands at the right hand of the Father, as our perfect High Priest. So today if you are feeling spiritually pressed, bring it the Lord. For He understands sorrow and pain. Hurt and suffering. Betrayal and anguish. And let Him guide you through your garden of agony.
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